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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29015472">Not How You're Made</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/afreezingnote/pseuds/afreezingnote'>afreezingnote</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Getting Together, I know that POV tag sounds weird but it's really not, I promise this is pure sugar inspired somewhat by The Velveteen Rabbit, M/M, POV Impala (Supernatural), POV Outsider, Post-Episode: s12e02 Mamma Mia, Post-Hunt (Supernatural)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:08:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,157</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29015472</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/afreezingnote/pseuds/afreezingnote</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“I’ve always wondered if [Mary] would be proud of me,” he said. “Now I’m going to find out.”</p><p>“You and Sam are extraordinary men,” Cas said. “She has no reason to be disappointed with you.”</p><p>“You’re biased,” Dean said.</p><p>“Maybe,” Cas said. “That doesn’t mean I’m not right.”</p><p>As they let their conversation fade back into comfortable silence, Cas traced sigils absently over the seat beside his right leg, trailing marks of protection and affection along with the tiniest wisps of his grace as his fingers moved.</p><p>The angel wasn’t the only one to leave remnants of his energy to seep into the Impala. In her long life, she had shared in countless joys, sorrows, and rages with the humans who called her home. The impressions of Sam and Dean’s souls had sunk into all the leather and metal and fabric that made her, and the buildup from over the years had lent her a kind of consciousness, not quite sentience but an awareness, that allowed her to be just a little bit more than an average car.</p><p>So, she could tell that the yearning within Dean and Castiel’s spirits was culminating toward a resolution.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Dean Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Colors Challenge</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Not How You're Made</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! I haven't been active in the Supernatural fandom since 2016. This resurgence is a result of going through my drafts folder on a whim and deciding to post some old pieces. This piece was originally written for the Destiel Writers &amp; Readers Facebook network’s Colors Challenge<br/>(Prompt: Ebony) in 2016.</p><p>Originally posted to <a href="https://thefamousspannerintheworks.tumblr.com/post/152096816074/not-how-youre-made-sfw-1139-words-deancas">tumblr.</a></p><p>Not beta'd, so any mistakes are all my fault. </p><p>Disclaimer: I do not own these characters and make no profit from this work save fun. If this story appears anywhere other than Archive of Our Own, it has been reposted without my consent.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>“Once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.” </em> ― <a href="https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fauthor%2Fshow%2F83846.Margery_Williams&amp;t=ZjY4OWUyM2M4NmFiMDUxMTU0YWUwOTY3Yzg4NTgwODU5ZDhlYjBkZSxvamVMWUdJUg%3D%3D&amp;b=t%3A7gotLvbEN-XeHwMVp0O2_A&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fthefamousspannerintheworks.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F152096816074%2Fnot-how-youre-made-sfw-1139-words-deancas&amp;m=1&amp;ts=1611720698">Margery Williams</a>, <a href="https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fwork%2Fquotes%2F1602074&amp;t=ZjU2YmQwODY2ZDEwMjE3OTFlYWM0NDE4MWVkYTNjMTllMWMwNmVjZixvamVMWUdJUg%3D%3D&amp;b=t%3A7gotLvbEN-XeHwMVp0O2_A&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fthefamousspannerintheworks.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F152096816074%2Fnot-how-youre-made-sfw-1139-words-deancas&amp;m=1&amp;ts=1611720698">The Velveteen Rabbit</a></p><p>Streetlights gleamed over her sides, casting a yellowish glow on top of her ebony paint as Dean steered her back onto the main road. In her backseat, Sam and Mary were already drifting to sleep against their respective windows.</p><p>Castiel sat shotgun. Since Mary’s return, it had become a shared space, swapped, conceded, and claimed in turns whenever the four of them traveled together. Cas enjoyed sitting next to Dean, especially in quiet moments like this one.</p><p>The case they had just finished had been simple enough to figure out, but the grueling work of dispatching three confused, angry spirits, products of a double homicide and suicide  committed by an overwhelmed father who decided death would be preferable to poverty for his wife and toddler, had taken its toll on all of them.</p><p>“They’re okay?” Dean asked.</p><p>“Yes,” Cas said. “They’re both exhausted but neither of them are in danger of a concussion.”</p><p>“Good,” Dean said. “What about you? It was a helluva light show when you burnt the dad out. Did that drain you?”</p><p>“No,” Cas said. “My grace seems mostly recovered. I’m still at full power.”</p><p>“At least we have that much going for us,” Dean said. “We should hang out at home for a couple of days. Things have been so non-stop since we got Sam back; we haven’t really had a chance to breathe.”</p><p>“You should make your burgers for your mother,” Cas said.</p><p>“That’s a great idea,” Dean said. “I know she’s been wanting to know more about all of us. It’d be as good a time as any to tell the whole story.”</p><p>“You’re nervous about it,” Cas said, more an observation than a question.</p><p>Dean shrugged one shoulder.</p><p>“I’ve always wondered if she would be proud of me,” he said. “Now I’m going to find out.”</p><p>“You and Sam are extraordinary men,” Cas said. “She has no reason to be disappointed with you.”</p><p>“You’re biased,” Dean said.</p><p>“Maybe,” Cas said. “That doesn’t mean I’m not right.”</p><p>As they let their conversation fade back into comfortable silence, Cas traced sigils absently over the seat beside his right leg, trailing marks of protection and affection along with the tiniest wisps of his grace as his fingers moved.</p><p>The angel wasn’t the only one to leave remnants of his energy to seep into the Impala. In her long life, she had shared in countless joys, sorrows, and rages with the humans who called her home. The impressions of Sam and Dean’s souls had sunk into all the leather and metal and fabric that made her, and the buildup from over the years had lent her a kind of consciousness, not quite sentience but an awareness, that allowed her to be just a little bit more than an average car.</p><p>So, she could tell that the yearning within Dean and Castiel’s spirits was culminating toward a resolution. It would happen soon. </p><hr/><p>Mary and Sam didn’t stir again until they had pulled into the garage, the sudden loss of the soothing purr of the Impala’s engine drawing them into wakefulness.</p><p>Dean was already hoisting the trunk up while Sam opened his door, stretching and groaning at the pull of his sore muscles. Dean swatted Sam’s hand out of the way when he reached for the bag of guns they needed to clean after the hunt.</p><p>“Cas and I will take care of it,” Dean said. “You and mom go to bed. Those ghosts seemed to not like the two of you in particular if the number of times they chucked you around was any sign.”</p><p>“But—” Sam began.</p><p>“No buts,” Dean said. “Get.”</p><p>Sam tried to glare at him, but his sleep-puffy eyes made the gesture comical. </p><p>“You can do cleaning duty next time if it’s that important to you,” Dean added. “Promise.”</p><p>“Whatever,” Sam mumbled.</p><p>Mary and Cas watched this exchange with similar looks of fondness softening their eyes and curling their lips.</p><p>“It’s been a long day,” Mary said. “Goodnight, boys.”</p><p>Three voices chorused together in response.</p><hr/><p>Breaking down and cleaning the guns didn’t take long. Dean’s practiced hands went to the task efficiently while Cas worked slower but no less sure. Together, they breezed through it and were standing side by side at the Impala’s trunk, shifting shotguns, shovels, and salt into their designated spaces less than thirty minutes later.</p><p>Dean shut the trunk with a conclusive thunk. He sighed tiredly and reclined against Baby. Seconds later, Cas settled next to him, pressing their arms together.</p><p>“You’re exhausted too,” Cas said. “You shouldn’t fight it.”</p><p>“I am tired,” Dean said. “But there are worse things.”</p><p>He pushed himself up off the car and turned toward Cas, tugging at Cas’s coat to get him to step closer. Cas let himself be moved. When the angel stood only centimeters away, Dean let himself lean into Cas, snaked his arms around Cas’s waist, and laid his head on Cas’s shoulder.</p><p>It was the first time Dean had initiated such contact since Purgatory, and Cas was loath to waste it. He circled his arms around Dean and splayed his hands across Dean’s back. To his surprise, Dean let the embrace linger.</p><p>“I’m tired of sleeping alone,” Dean added several moments later. His voice was muffled against Cas’s neck, so close Cas could feel his breath, but he didn’t move away. “I’m tired of pretending that we don’t have feelings for each other, so I’m hoping it’s not gonna seem too wild to ask you to come to bed.”</p><p>“Dean?” Cas said, breathless with hope.</p><p>“If you want to, of course,” Dean said.</p><p>“I want to,” Cas said. “But are you sure?”</p><p>“I’m sure,” Dean said. “As long as we’re both clear that I don’t just mean tonight. I mean every night for the rest of my life.”</p><p>“I would give you longer than eternity if I could,” Cas said.</p><p>“I know,” Dean said.</p><p>He didn’t let go of Cas as he pivoted to rest their weight on Baby again. In the process of moving, their arms loosened a little, which allowed Cas the luxury of studying Dean’s face up close. Dean smiled when their eyes met. </p><p>They shifted to bring their lips together at the same time, the synchronicity lending a sense of rightness to the already sweet kiss.</p><p>“Let’s go in,” Dean said softly when they drew apart. </p><p>As they walked away, a contented sliver of their combined energy remained, slowly merging with the metal where they had touched the Impala. Once, God had written that it was her blemishes—the Legos in her vents, the army men stuck in the ashtray, the initials carved into her rear window deck—that made her beautiful. While those characteristics certainly gave her personality, she would have to disagree with the Almighty. What really made her beautiful was love.<br/><br/><br/></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! Feedback is always welcome. If you'd like any additional tags included or spot any errors, please let me know, and I'll update asap.</p><p>If you enjoy my writing and BBC Merlin, I've got good news! Merlin is my fandom home now, so my current work is for Merlin/Arthur/Gwen and Merthur. I'd love to see readers old and new check out my Merlin projects, if either of those pairings sound interesting!</p><p>If you'd like to find me on tumblr, <a href="https://unmarkedinlife.tumblr.com">unmarkedinlife</a> is my Merlin blog. I follow from <a href="https://balaszafiros.tumblr.com">balaszafiros.</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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